Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K review

A highly portable, semi-pro 4K video camera that's significantly less expensive than its rivals – what's not to like?

Close-up of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K

Digital Camera World Verdict

With a Micro Four Thirds sensor and lens mount, dual native ISO and a hardware/software combination you would expect to see in a £2,000+ movie camera, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K looks versatile and capable. When you consider its asking price of £1,134/$1,300 – significantly less than the Panasonic GH5S – for video, it makes a lot of sense.

Pros

  • +

    Excellent range of ports

  • +

    Giant 5-inch touchscreen

  • +

    Shoots RAW video

  • +

    MFT lens mount

Cons

  • -

    No flip-out screen

  • -

    No ND filter

  • -

    No continuous AF

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Blackmagic has been making cameras for about six years, ranging from small form-factor film cameras through to pro-grade studio cameras, all with a focus on video. 

The Pocket Cinema Camera lineup received a solid reception when it launched, although the sacrifices made in terms of ports and battery life always held the series back. 

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Basil Kronfli

Basil Kronfli is a freelance technology journalist, consultant, and content creator. He trained in graphic design and started his career at Canon Europe before moving into journalism. Basil is also experienced in video production, independently running the YouTube channel TechEdit, and during his time at Future, he worked alongside the Digital Camera World team as a senior video producer.